Ten Most Dangerous Jobs and Statistics on the Industries
Some of the most imperative jobs to the functioning of our society are also the most dangerous. These jobs involve a high risk of injury, temporary or permanent disability, or even death. Read on to learn more about the top ten most dangerous jobs in the US.
In 2015, there were approximately 4,836 fatal occupational injuries with almost half resulting from transportation incidents. Careers that involve transportation, the use of any heavy machinery, or that come in contact with violent people or animals have a higher incident rate. However, some jobs, which don't fit into these categories, may surprise you.
1. Construction Laborer
Working in construction is by far one of the most dangerous fields out there. This may come as no surprise due to the obvious physical hazards of the job. From operating all types of power tools or machines, exerting yourself physically, or being around dangerous things like electricity, being a construction worker presents numerous hazards each and every day.
Statisitic: The Fatal Four for work injuries are:
- Falls — 38.8% of construction injuries are from falls.
- Struck by Object - 9.6% of construction injuries are from struck by object.
- Electrocutions - 8.6% of construction injuries are from electrocutions.
- Caught-in-between - 7.2% of construction injuries are from caught-in-between.
2. Correction Officer
Correctional officers are in obvious danger because of the nature of their job and the people they work around on a daily basis. Some officers are given the task of guarding inmates in rehab, jails, or prisons, while other types of tasks involve transporting prisoners back-and-forth from holding to court hearings or maintaining peace in court rooms. A correction officer is 36 times more likely to be injured than the average American worker.
Statistic: Three out of every one-hundred correctional officers are treated each year for non-fatal injuries.
3. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
If you work as an EMT it means that you will typically be the first person that is called to the scene of an emergency. As a first-responder, an EMT goes directly into critical situations to assist a person who is injured. The dangers of this job can range from heavy lifting to exploding vehicles.
Statistic: Emergency medical technicians treat 22 million patients a year, almost all of which are in some type of dangerous situation.
4. Carpenter
Carpenters are in danger of a work-related injury because of their use of power tools, lifting heavy items, and working in precarious positions and places. No matter how experienced a carpenter is, there is always the possibility of an accident.
Statistic: Roughly 15% of carpenters report some type of injury each year.
5. Firefighter
Firefighters risk their lives everyday to save people who are in life-threatening situations. Smoke inhalation, burns, falling debris, lifting heavy items, and exposure to infectious illnesses all put firefighters in danger. Likewise, there is also a possibility of being exposed to hazardous chemicals, exploding cars, and speeding cars. As a society, we may forget just how dangerous it can be to be a firefighter, but when we need them the most, they are always there.
Statistic: 68,085 firefighter injuries were reported in the U.S in 2015. In addition to injuries, there were 8,350 documented exposures to infectious diseases (e.g., hepatitis, meningitis, HIV, other) in 2015.
6. Nursing Assistant
Being a nursing assistant is a physically demanding job. They are constantly lifting and moving patients, exposing themselves to diseases, and working in a fast-paced and often frantic environment. These hazards can often lead to work injuries that may affect their ability to keep working and providing for their family.
Statistic: According a recent article on the CDC website, assaults on nurses by patients is a common hazard. In fact, 1 in 4 nurses have been physically assaulted.
7. Police Officer
We all rely on police officers to maintain order in our society and to enforce state and federal laws. Often, this duty can place officers in danger of injury or death. Of course, there is the obvious possibility of injury, like gun shot wound, but officers face many other threats on the job, like aggressive dogs, vehicle accidents, exposure to hostile crowds, and exposure to infectious diseases.
Statistic: The rate of fatal work injuries for police officers in 2014 was 13.5 per 100,000 full-time workers (officers), compared to 3.4 for all occupations.
8. Truck Driver
Truck drivers have a higher risk for injury or death over a lot of other professions because the job requires them to be on the road much more often than the average person or workers. And of course, driving is statistically one of the most dangerous things you can do. Trucker Since trucks are on the road many more hours than other people, their chance of injury from things like collision increase. Truckers are also at risk of being injured during other job duties, like while loading or unloading their cargo or while changing a tire on the side of the road.
Statistic: People who drive for a living, including truck drivers, have a workplace fatal injury rate 7 times higher than the overall worker average.
9. For-Hire Drivers
This category includes taxi drivers, rideshare drivers, and couriers. Most of the risk of these drivers comes from the same hazards as truck drivers (above). However, those who drive around passengers, like Uber drivers and taxi drivers, also have a risk of picking up a dangerous or desperate person.
Statistics: According to OSHA, taxi drivers are 20 times more likely to be murdered on the job than other workers in the United States.
10. Logging Workers
If you don't know anyone who works in the logging industry, then you might have forgotten that people still work as lumberjacks. Today's workers have progressed, just a little, from axes and flannels, but if anything, their jobs have gotten even more dangerous. Now, loggers work with huge mechanical saws, lifts, pulleys, and other heavy equipment. This job is more common in the middle and western part of the US, but nonetheless, it's still extremely dangerous.
Statistic: The fatality rate for those in the logging industry amounts to 128 deaths per 100,000 logging workers. What's worse: loggers only make $37,640 on average, a low price to be paid for such dangerous work.
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Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA
At Dolman Law, we understand that being injured on the job brings up some tough situations and leaves you with difficult questions: How am I going to pay my medical bills? How long am I going to be out of work? How much money am I going to be out of?
We are here to help take some of the stress off your shoulders by answering your questions and handling your case. By contact an attorney for your work injury, you will have an experienced team fighting on your side to help you regain the maximum amount of compensation. An attorney can help you to understand if a third party may also be responsible, what your options are for recourse beyond a simple workers' comp claim, and if you are eligible for pain and suffering.
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